


Doyle, dancing

by ML Mead (moonlightmead)



Category: The Professionals
Genre: Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-10-19
Updated: 2011-10-19
Packaged: 2017-11-28 23:17:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/679988
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonlightmead/pseuds/ML%20Mead
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Doyle dances. Bodie watches.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Doyle, dancing

Bodie had seen Doyle dancing many times before, but never like this. Both of them would dance when the occasion - or the potential girlfriend - called for it, moving determinedly in time to the beat in discos or resignedly around the dancefloor in suits as they tried not to worsen the reputation of Cowley's mob by counting 'One two three, one two three' out loud.

And Doyle certainly seemed to enjoy dancing with someone, if he was persuaded to dance by his latest interest, but always with an air of being there because someone else wanted him to.

So when Bodie failed to see his partner in the nightclub, the last place he looked was the dance floor with its glitter ball and crazy lights. Doyle wasn't expecting him today, but Bodie's op had finished early and Doyle's was undermanned, so Bodie was sent to join Doyle. He had a word with the intermediary who was helping settle Doyle into the right crowd and headed for the nightclub Doyle was supposed to be visiting. It was nondescript enough on the outside, and he concealed a grin at the ambiguous name: did they know, he wondered? More to the point, did Doyle know?

Inside, Bodie cast a glance round the club, identified the place Doyle would choose to sit at with ease, and settled himself against a pillar where he could keep an eye on it and on the room. Yes, this was definitely an... alternative... crowd in tonight. Very few women, but the dancefloor was already crowded. The DJ slid another disc onto the turntable, and Wizzard's 'See My Baby Jive' began. It was a happy, bouncy pop song with a brass section providing emphasis to the beat, performed with gusto by the frontman of the band. Bodie remembered seeing it on a Christmas Top of the Pops several years before, and the crowd of wannabes in the studio bopping carefully away. The dancers here were not nearly so restrained, as arms were flung wide, backs arched, and heads thrown back. There was a tide of bodies surging about. Bodie looked on almost wistfully at the exuberance on display, and then nearly laughed out loud as several people performed filthy actions to some line about a tenor horn and dropping to his knees. Clearly it was played often enough at this particular club for the regulars to have developed their own ways of dancing to it. Even those not joining in with the miming were bounding about with verve.

And then he spotted Doyle. In the middle of the dance floor. Bounding around like a loon, his hair bouncing wildly as he struck poses in time to the beat, and clearly having the time of his life. He looked entirely at home. As the chorus began, he extended his body, flung his arms wide, and - there was no other word for it - shimmied towards the androgynous figure opposite him, who mirrored his actions exactly. There was a look of satisfied glee on his face. They each bent their knees and sank slowly to squatting positions and back up. They matched moves with apparent ease, despite sending periodic glances around the club. Looking for someone, thought Bodie, or just to see the reaction to the picture they were making? They were far from the only people so fired up, but they were certainly attracting the odd knowing grin. Doyle slowly arched back and his partner leant forward, and then his partner leaned back for Doyle to lean over him. In a swirling sea of people, they were just two more dancers, but this was not a sea Bodie had ever thought Doyle would sail. Bodie concentrated on remaining cool, affecting an air of indulgent amusement. The record began to fade out and another to take its place. Doyle bent forward to hear something whispered - or shouted, given the noise - in his ear, laughed, made negating gestures, and started to head towards the bar.

Bodie's pillar was in the way. He considered sliding out of sight, but before he could, Doyle's eyes swept over the room once again, and caught his. His eyes widened. Bodie lifted his glass in a gentle salute, and smiled. Doyle's eyes narrowed, then a grin spread over his face. He winked. And Bodie's heart soared.

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the 20-minute fic challenge on T&SR, October 2011, subsequent light editing.
> 
> Inspired by a specific event, too - pity I didn't have time to write what happened next!


End file.
